Bushfires raze homes in Australia

MELBOURNE: Up to 15 homes have been destroyed by bushfires near Melbourne but cooler conditions Monday aided crews battling them to get the upper hand, officials said. A number of blazes ignited over the weekend, whipped up by strong winds and searing heat, and they quickly ran out of control. One of the fires at Scotsburn, 90 kilometers west of Melbourne, surprised crews with its speed and ferocity with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reporting Monday it razed 12 homes. Another blaze at Barnawartha, also in Victoria state, burnt through about 9,000 hectares, destroying three properties.